Film handling system

ABSTRACT

A film handling system for a motion picture projector is disclosed and includes an attachment for the take-up reel shaft of a conventional projector as well as a container for film. The attachment includes a container support and guide and drive means for delivering film into the container and reeling it in the container from the outside toward the inside. The container has an opening in its end wall adapted, when the film is shown again, to receive the supply reel shaft of the projector. Slot means in the side wall of the container pass the leading end of the film, and it is through the slot means that the film is withdrawn from the container for the subsequent showing. Rereeling is thus made unnecessary.

O United States Patent 11 1 [111 3,869,093 Ackermann 5] Mar. 4, 1975FILM HANDLING SYSTEM Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor Inventor $21253:gg if Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dallett Hoopes [73] Assignee: IndevcoCorporation, Watertown,

57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Sept. 12, 1972 A film handling system for amotion picture projector [21] Appl 288254 is disclosed and includes anattachment for the takeup reel shaft of a conventional projector as wellas a [52] US. Cl. 242/5521, 352/128 container for film. The attachmentincludes a con- [51] Int. Cl B65h 17/48 tainer support and guide anddrive means for deliver- [58] Field of Search 242/5521, 71.8; 352/128;ing film into the container and reeling it in the con- 206/52 F tainerfrom the outside toward the inside. The container has an opening in itsend wall adapted, when [56] References Cited the film is shown again,to'receive the supply reel shaft U ITE STATES PATENTS of the projector.Slot means in the side wall of the container pass the leading end of thefilm, and it is till??? 31333 51312452,;1113331111"111113 5571525through the Shh hhhhhs that the hhh h whhdhhwh hhhh 2:481:708 9/1949Adams 242/5521 the container for the Subsequent Showing Rereeling is2,495,344 1/1950 Proch 242/5521 x thus made unnecessary. 3,292,87512/1966 Rojic 242/5521 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6 Claims,12Drawiagfighres 189,665 3/1937 Switzerland 352/128 PATH-HEB MAR 4 1875saw 1 as 2 1 FILM HANDLING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldof the Invention The invention finds use in the reeling of movie filmafter the film has been exhibited on a conventional movie projector. Theinvention is also concerned with container means for effecting suchreeling and for storage of the film between showings.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is invariably the case withconventional motion picture projectors that after the film has beenexhibited, the trailing end of the film must be attached to the storagereel from which the film was shown, and the entire film rereeled on thestorage reel so that the film will be disposed leading end first on thestorage reel for the next showing.

Several attempts have been made in the past to provide film handlingsystems which would eliminate the need for rereeling. Many of thesedevices have been contemplated but at present no such device iscommercially available. One prior art attempt to eliminate rereeling isdisclosed in the system set forth in the Netherlands Pat. No. 53,998,published Feb. 15, 1943. This system provided means for reeling the filmfrom the side wall of a cylindrical container inward. Means wereadditionally provided to support the inside of the film by an expandablesystem of arms. Generally speaking, prior systems required complicatedcustom structure and were not readily adaptable to conventionalprojectors. Other winding apparatus has been proposed in patents such asUS. Pat. Nos. 1,939,884, 2,892,899, and 2,335,179.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Under the present invention, there is satisfiedthe longfelt need for simple means to eliminate rereeling.

The present system comprises an attachment for the takeup shaft of aconventional movie projector and a container adapted to cooperate withthe attachment. The attachment has means to deliver the film to thecontainer in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, andincludes means to support the container on the top of the attachment.The container has an opening in its end wall and a slot in its side walladapted to pass and hold the leading end of the film. The attachmentincludes drive means which, as the exhibition of the film proceeds,drives the shown film against the inside of the wall of the containerforcing the container to rotate on the attachment and reels the filmfrom the outside inward in the container. After the film is reeled inthe container, the container may be removed from the attachment andimpaled on the supply reel shaft of the projector, the shaft beingreceived into a central opening in the container, and the leading end ofthe film is available to the projector once more for reshowmg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features of the invention willbe apparent to those skilled in the art from an examination of thefollowing specification including the drawings, all of which disclose anon-limiting embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view, with portions shown in phantom, of a projectorusing a system embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view, showing the container insection, of the attachment comprising the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view partly in section of the structureshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in section of the spindle and hub comprisingthe attachment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the film guide scroll;

FIG. 6 is a rear end sectional view of the attachment taken on line 6-6of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a diametric sectional view of the film container with itscover mounted on the supply reel shaft of the projector;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of'the container cover;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the container; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG.11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more specifically tothe drawings, an apparatus embodying the invention is shown in FIG. 2.It is shown on a conventional projector generally designated P andcomprises an attachment l0 and a container 12'. The attachment 10 fitsover the conventional take-up reel shaft TS (FIG. 3) of the projector.It comprises a hub 14 with a stabilizing plate 16 having a stop finger18 secured thereto and directed inward and adapted to engage against thetop of the take-up reel shaft arm TSA to keep the hub from rotating whenthe device is in operation.

Mounted for rotation within the hub 14 is the drive spindle 20 of theattachment. The spindle 20 is journaled in the central opening 22 of thehub and is held therein by a C-shaped washer 23 which fits in aperipheral groove on the spindle, and in assembly engages in an annulargroove 23a on the inner side of hub 14. The spindle has an axial opening24 which in use fits over and is supported and drivingly engaged by theshaft TS of the projector.

As shown, the opening 22 is formed adjacent its outer end with anenlargement adapted to receive the enlarged drum 26 comprising the outerend of the spindle. The drum 26 is formed with teeth 28 and is adaptedto drivingly engage the film F as it comes from the projector. As shownbest in FIGS. 2 and 8, the outer end of the hub is formed with a pair ofopenings 30 and 32 to expose the side of the drum.

As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral surface of the hub 14 is formed witha helical track 29 adapted to gradually lead the film, which wraps aboutit in a clockwise direction (FIG. 2), to the side of the drum exposedthrough opening 30. The film emerges through the opening 32 having beenpowered by the drum.

The drive connection between the take-up shaft TS and the attachmentspindle 20 is effected by a radial keyway 34 in the opening 24 in theattachment spindle 20. The keyway receives the longitudinal flange onthe take-up shaft; thus, as the take-up shaft rotates, the toothed drum26 of the attachment likewise rotates, the hub 14 being held fromrotation by the stop finger l8 engaging arm TSA (FIG. 2). A plurality ofopenings view taken on the line 8-8 of about the margin of the plate 16permits selective positioning of the finger for different styleprojectors.

To guide the film F over the spiral-screw-thread type helical track 29,a helical scroll 38 (FIG. 5) complementing the track in shape and spacedthereover, is secured to the plate 16 by the pin 40. It will beunderstood that the track on the outer surface of the hub 14 is sodesigned, without excessive strain on the film, to introduce the filmthrough the opening 30 to the cylindrical drum 26 in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft TS. The pitch ofthe groove is greater more remote from the sprocket than adjacent it.

The composition of the hub 14 is plastic, preferably a smoothself-lubricating plastic such as polyetrafluoroethylene over which thefilm can easily move without damage. The track 29 may be concave insection to avoid any contact with the central portion of the film.

. The outer end of the hub is provided at its top with a containersupporting projection 42. On this is hung the open-end container 12. Acan-retaining bracket 44 is secured to the plate 16 and extends up overvthe hub and includes a vertically pivotable retaining plate 46 which isadapted to swing about its support pin 48, to a position down over thecontainer 12 as shown in FIG. 3 during the reeling operation. Variousother container-retaining means may be employed. Magnetic means arecontemplated.

Referring now to the container 12 (FIG. 11), it comprises an end wall 50having a central opening 52 with a radially extending keyway enlargement54. A shallow side wall 56 is connected to the end wall 50 and includesa peripheral slot 58 which may be centrally enlarged as shown to avoidcontact with the central portion of the film passing through it.Preferably, the edges of the opening 58 are covered with someanti-friction materialto avoid any chance of damage to the film. Aretainer 60 is secured to the outside of the side wall 56 as by a rivet62, and receives in its pocket 61 (FIG. 12) the leading end of the film.A smooth annular spacer sheet 64 may be provided to avoid hang-ups ofthe film with the ribbed end wall of the container (FIG. 11) as thereeling transpires.

The cover for-the container is not on the container during the reelingoperation, but only during storage and during the withdrawing of thefilm from the container during the exhibition when the container ismounted on the supply reel shaft SS as will be described. The cover 66comprises an end wall 68 and a side wall 70. The side wall is formedwith a notch 72 and theend wall with a central opening 74 having akeyway 76. The container and its cover may be of sheet metal or plastic.l

As shown best in FIG. 2, the container 12 rests on the projection 42with the leading end of the film passing through the slot 58 and securedunder the clip 60. As the showing of this film by the projectorprogresses, the already exhibited film passes over the hub 14in spiralfashion and through the opening 30 where it is driven by the drum 26 todischarge through opening 32 and against the side wall of the containerand urging the clockwise rotation of the entire container 12 and causingthe film progressively'to build up inward, the container 12 beingcontinuously supported (as shown) on the last layer of film tobedelivered into the container.

After the showing and afterthe trailing end of the film F has passedthrough opening 32, the container 12 will cease to be driven and thefilm will lie in wound condition pressing outward against the side wallof the container 12 due to the natural resilience of the film.

At this point, the retaining plate 46 is raised and the container 12 istaken off the surface 42. The cover 66 is placed on the container 12,its peripheral notch 72 permitting the exposure of the slot 58 and theclip 60 whereupon the keyways 54 and 76 are aligned. The film may bestored in this condition. For the next showing, the covered container12' is simply placed on the projector supply shaft SS (FIG. 9), thecentral openings in the container and cover receiving the shaft SS insupportive, but not driving relation. The leading end of the film isthen exposed by swiveling the retainer 60 about its rivet 62 (FIG. 11dotted lines) and is threaded through the projector as is conventionalfor display and reeling into the similar take-up container 12.

I have thus provided a film handling system for a conventional projectorwhich eliminates the need for rereeling and which is comprised of simpleparts, economical to manufacture. The invention may be embodied in otherstructures, all falling within the scope of the invention which may bedescribed in the following claim language:

I claim:

1. For a motion picture projector, a film handling system whicheliminates the need for rereeling comprismg:

a. a take-up drive attachment adapted to be supported solely by anddriven by the take-up drive shaft of a projector including a generallycylindrical hub having an axial opening a drive spindle journaled in theopening for rotation and having in one end an axial opening adapted'toreceive the take-up drive shaft of the projector in driving engagement,the opposite end of the spindle having a film-engaging sprocket withoutward teeth to be received into the perforations in the film, guidemeans on the hub for guiding the film in spiral fashion from the saidone end of the hub outward about thehub into engagement with thesprocket, support means on the hub immediately above the sprocketandmeans for keeping the hub from rotating when the shaft rotates; I

b. a shallow cylindrical film container having a circular side wall andan end wall, the side wall having a slot for egress of the outer orleading end of the film, the end wall having a central opening adaptedto fit into the film supply reel shaft; whereby the film container maybe hung by the inside of its circular wall on said support means withthe container end wall adjacent the sprocket, and the leading end of thefilm may be extended over the support means through the slot in thecontainer and attached to the outside of the container so that as thefilm is driven by the spocket, it forces the rotation of the containerand accumulates about the inside of the side wall of the container,winding from outside to inside, the support means engaging thelastdeposited layer of film to support the container and whereby oncethe entire length of the film is in the container, the container may beremoved from the attachment and mounted on the film supply shaft of theprojector by its central opening, and the leading end may be fed intothe projector for viewing without rereeling.

thread-type groove about the hub and a rigid helical band which curvesabout the groove to lead the leading end of the film toward thesprocket.

5. A film handling system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pitch on thegroove is greater adjacent said one end of the hub than adjacent thesprocket.

6. A film handling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axis of thefilm container and the axis of the drive spindle are parallel.

1. For a motion picture projector, a film handling system whicheliminates the need for rereeling comprising: a. a take-up driveattachment adapted to be supported solely by and driven by the take-updrive shaft of a projector including a generally cylindrical hub havingan axial opening a drive spindle journaled in the opening for rotationand having in one end an axial opening adapted to receive the take-updrive shaft of the projector in driving engagement, the opposite end ofthe spindle having a film-engaging sprocket with outward teeth to bereceived into the perforations in the film, guide means on the hub forguiding the film in spiral fashion from the said one end of the huboutward about the hub into engagement with the sprocket, support meanson the hub immediately above the sprocket and means for keeping the hubfrom rotating when the shaft rotates; b. a shallow cylindrical filmcontainer having a circular side wall and an end wall, the side wallhaving a slot for egress of the outer or leading end of the film, theend wall having a central opening adapted to fit into the film supplyreel shaft; whereby the film container may be hung by the inside of itscircular wall on said support means with the container end wall adjacentthe sprocket, and the leading end of the film may be extended over thesupport means through the slot in the container and attached to theoutside of the container so that as the film is driven by the spocket,it forces the rotation of the container and accumulates about the insideof the side wall of the container, winding from outside to inside, thesupport means engaging the last-deposited layer of film to support thecontainer and whereby once the entire length of the film is in thecontainer, the container may be removed from the attachment and mountedon the film supply shaft of the projector by its central opening, andthe leading end may be fed into the projector for viewing withoutrereeling.
 2. A film handling system as claimed in claim 1 includingmeans for releasably holding the container against the said opposite endof the attachment.
 3. A film handling system as claimed in claim 2wherein the means for holding the container on the end of the attachmentcomprises arm means, one end of which is secured to the attachmentadjacent its said one end.
 4. A film handling system as claimed in claim1 wherein the guide means comprises a spiral-screw-thread-type grooveabout the hub and a rigid helical band which curves about the groove tolead the leading end of the film toward the sprocket.
 5. A film handlingsystem as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pitch on the groove is greateradjacent said one end of the hub than adjacent the sprocket.
 6. A filmhandling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axis of the filmcontainer and the axis of the drive spindle are parallel.